Moxy Best Of Collection Being Released As Three Disc Boxset

Canadian classic hard rockers Moxy will release ‘1974 To 2014 – 40 Years And Still Riding High’ on May 22nd via Escape Music in UK/Europe. The album’s first pressing will be a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies and includes a live Toronto 2013 DVD and newly recorded classics in a triple CD boxset.

After writing and recording new material over the years with different versions of Moxy, the time had come to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legacy. A new band was assembled for the occasion, so along with founding member Earl Johnson an international cast of musicians were brought on board, including guitarist Rob Robbins, bassist Oscar Anesetti, drummer Alexis Von Kraven and Juno award winning Slik Toxik vocalist Nick Walsh.

When Moxy first exploded onto the scene in 1974 with their hit song “Can’t You See I’m a Star” they were destined to become part of the alumni of heavy hitting Canadians making a mark in the U.S.A. The promising sound of the single received heavy radio support from CHUM(AM) in Toronto and led to the band’s signing of a contract with Polydor Records of Canada in December 1974. The Polydor Records contract was mainly due to the popularity and reputation of lead vocalist Buzz Shearman.

After a few years of touring, Moxy went from a bar band to headline concert attraction in Canada. Just a year after the first album for Canadian fans, but three short months after the reissued copy of ‘Moxy I’ was released in the U.S. the Jack Douglas produced ‘Moxy II’ received international press coverage for the band. Most reviews predicted success and comparisons were made to Aerosmith, Rush and Deep Purple. ‘Moxy II’ was also highly acclaimed on its release by Geoff Barton of the UK music magazine Sounds, who made the album available to its readers for the special price of only £1.50. Barton would later refer to Moxy as the Canadian Led Zeppelin.

Moxy saw success touring the U.S. with the likes of such artists as Boston, Styx, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Rainbow. In March 1980, Buzz Shearman was a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott in AC/DC but because his recurring vocal cord problems would not allow him to tour extensively, the AC/DC band members ultimately decided on ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson. In 1982, Shearman, Johnson and drummer Bill Wade helped fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Lee Aaron on her debut album called ‘The Lee Aaron Project’. By 1983, Shearman was working a day job at Shaw Industries, just barely holding Moxy together while shopping around for a new record deal. Then tragedy struck when Buzz died in a motorcycle accident, on June 16, 1983, at the age of 33, just north of Toronto.